Quaker Youth UN Ambassadors Program Webinar

In Sep-Nov 2025, QEW piloted the Quaker Youth UN Ambassadors Program to equip a cohort of young Friends to engage in the UN climate negotiations at COP30 as part of QEW’s online delegation. Join us on February 28th to learn about the events and negotiations at COP30 through our ambassadors, their experience attending UN climate negotiations, and hear how they will share what they’ve learned to promote climate action and resiliency in their communities.  

United Nations Quaker Youth Ambassadors Program  

Join us on February 28th for a powerful, spirit-led webinar featuring our first-ever cohort of Quaker Youth UN Ambassadors. Lean how this group of young Friends kickstarted this inaugural cohort across 3 continents - blending worship, technical education, and opportunities for advocacy. This is an invitation to learn how global climate diplomacy can be translated into locally informed campaigns for our Meetings and communities.  

During this session, you will hear directly from our incredible cohort—Mercy, Simeon, Xiyue, Eleanor, Arianna, and Jean—as they share their firsthand experiences tracking negotiations and witnessing the realities of global climate politics. They will unpack these complex negotiations into accessible, powerful stories, covering crucial tracks like:  

• Climate Finance: Hear powerful, personal reflections on the debt burden placed on developing nations, including frontline accounts of the impacts of extreme weather, drought, and famine in Kenya.  

• Mitigation & Adaptation: Understand what progress was made, what stalled, and what structural gaps still block vulnerable groups from the negotiating table.  

• Food Systems & Supply Chains: Learn about the efforts to transform cattle supply chains and end deforestation.  

This webinar is more than just a report-back; it's a call to action. Come hear how these inspiring young leaders are translating global climate diplomacy into local climate resiliency for our Meetings, schools, and communities.

 

PRESENTERS:

Mercy Miroya (Kenya) A founder of Friends Ecojustice Practical Action, Mercy holds a degree in disaster management and is a 2023 Millennium Fellow. He leads community reforestation projects in Kenya to replace water-intensive eucalyptus with native species, specifically addressing severe regional water scarcity.

Simeon Ndagijimana (Rwanda) Founder of YIDEC (Youth Impacts Development and Environmental Change), Simeon is a peace and environmental activist who previously served as a Youth Coordinator for 700 genocide survivors. He is currently developing the "Youth Connector Hub" for QUNO alumni to link international climate policy with local peacebuilding.

Xiyue Zhang (USA/China) Drawing on his upbringing in Beijing and current studies at Carolina Friends School, Xiyue focuses on international dialogue and green energy policy. He hosted the 2024 Quaker Youth Leadership Conference and advocates for leveraging technology and diplomacy to restore the right to a healthy environment.

Eleanor Lanpher (USA) A birthright Quaker from Pennsylvania, Eleanor is a high school honor student who has interned with the Democracy Summer Program. Motivated by record flooding in her hometown, she seeks to be an "educated voice" for her generation by connecting local ecological breakdown to international law and governance.

Jean d’Amour Tuyizere (Rwanda) As the Climate Change Leader at Friends Career Center, Jean oversees food security projects and conservation agriculture training for smallholder farmers. He recently launched climate awareness programs and tree-planting clubs in Rwandan schools to empower youth as environmental stewards.